1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the dispersal of a multi-component liquids, such as insecticides and fragrance solutions, by ejecting a cloud or mist of small droplets of the liquid from a vibrating atomization plate into the atmosphere and evaporating the liquid components from the droplets as they fall back through the atmosphere.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known to disperse fragrances and insecticides into the atmosphere by using a vibrating atomization plate to form a mist or cloud of small droplets of a solution containing the fragrance or insecticide and to eject the mist or cloud into the atmosphere in the form of minute liquid droplets. As the mist or cloud settles, the fragrance or insecticide evaporates from the droplets. Examples of devices for doing this are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,893, No. 5,173,274, No. 5,601,235 and No. 5,894,001. In general these devices supply the liquid fragrance or insecticide to a vibrating atomization plate which, due to its vibrations, breaks up the liquid into fine droplets and ejects them upwardly in the form of a mist or a cloud. As the droplets fall back down, the fragrance or insecticide evaporates from the droplets and disperses into the atmosphere.
A problem occurs in the operation of these known devices in that there is no means to be sure that all of the liquid which is ejected will evaporate before the droplets fall back onto surrounding surfaces. As a result, an unsightly and often destructive liquid residue of unevaporated liquid builds up on these surfaces. This problem is particularly difficult where the liquid to be ejected is a fragrance or an insecticide. This is because fragrance and insecticide compositions are generally quite complex; and there has been no way to know in advance that a particular composition will fully evaporate when subjected to atomization in a vibrating plate atomizer.